Rents are right about where Colton's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,929 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
Rent in Colton is 0.5% below its high of $1,938 in February 2026, at $1,929 as of September 2026.
Rent in Colton changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($71,208) is $1,780 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,730); a 1-bedroom is $1,810.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Colton. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Colton, CA is roughly split between renters and owners, 16.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Colton, CA has changed in 5 years
Rent in Colton, CA has climbed 7.2% since 2023, going from about $1,799 per month to roughly $1,929 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $60,874 in 2021 to $71,208 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 9.8 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. About 47.2% of households rent today, against 49.2% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Colton, CA market of 2023.
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Can you afford rent in Colton on your salary?
At $1,929/mo, how Colton rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Colton rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Colton. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Colton
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Colton is $1,929/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,730/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,250/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,810/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,000/mo.
At 33% of local median household income ($71,208/yr), Colton ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Is rent going up or down in Colton?
How does Colton rent compare to other cities in California?
At $1,929/mo, rent takes ~33% of Colton's median household income ($71,208/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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